THE more than 365 days of no load shedding has paid off for businesses in Durban, who have expressed that the milestone has come with relief and positives for their establishments.

This after Eskom recently officially announced that 365 days have passed without the implementation of load shedding.

The power utility said this was last achieved nearly eight years ago in September 2018, and that this achievement has been three years in the making since the inception of the generation recovery plan.

Restaurateur Zohra Teke, of Sofra Istanbul Florida on Florida Road, said this period of no load shedding has seen restaurants “operate optimally without the fear of load shedding”.

In response to the challenges which came with load shedding, Teke said as a restaurant, they opted to make use of alternative “sources of cooking”, namely, a wood fire oven, charcoal grill, and one using gas.

“So our load shedding impact was limited to lights and heavy duty fridges,” said Teke, who added that the business used inverters to deal with these challenges.

“But it’s been a relief not having to stress over load shedding for the past year,” she said.

This positive development, however, is diluted for Teke and her business by the advent of “constant water shedding”, which she said has adversely impacted her establishment, “almost weekly”.

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“Now if only our water shedding issues can be resolved,” she said.

Edward Padi Tettey, the owner of Col’Cacchio on Florida Road, said the past year with no load shedding has “brought significant positive changes to our business operations”.

“One of the biggest improvements has been consistency. During periods of load shedding, restaurants faced constant operational disruptions from kitchen delays and interrupted service to issues with card machines, internet connectivity, refrigeration, and overall customer experience. In hospitality, timing and consistency are everything, so even short outages would affect service delivery, staff productivity, and customer satisfaction.

“Financially, the reduction in load shedding has also eased pressure on businesses. Previously, we had to rely heavily on generators, inverters, fuel, and backup systems, which increased operational costs substantially. Fuel expenses alone became a major burden, especially for businesses already dealing with rising food costs, rent, and utilities.

“Over the past year, we have seen more operational stability, improved customer experiences, and better efficiency within the restaurant. Customers are more comfortable dining out when they know there won’t be interruptions during their experience, especially in areas like Florida Road where nightlife and hospitality depend heavily on atmosphere and consistency,” said Tettey.

He added that a sustainable, reliable power supply is crucial for planning events, activations, live screenings and entertainment experiences.

“While there are still broader economic challenges affecting businesses in South Africa, stable electricity supply has definitely been one of the more positive developments for the hospitality and business sector over the past year,” said Tettey.

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